Why Entrepreneurs Divorce Their Logos (And Why It's A Bad Idea)

Why Entrepreneurs Divorce Their Logos (And Why It's A Bad Idea)
Remember how excited you were when you first designed your
logo? How beautiful you thought it was, and how you
couldn't wait to get your first batch of business cards
printed so you could show it off? How you excitedly
described its meaning and subtleties to your mom (and your
clients?) And the rush to the trademark office to get your
new love "made official"-what excitement when the papers
finally arrived!

Where did that magical feeling go?

The problem is that you keep seeing your logo. Over and
over again.

You spend time working on your marketing: creating flyers,
updating your website, putting together your email
newsletter, etc... And of course, each of those pieces
includes your logo (right?). Then you do your business
development and billing: writing up proposals, processing
client intake questionnaires, writing up invoices-again,
all with your logo. Then there are the pieces that you see
on a day to day basis: the business cards in your purse or
wallet, your office signage, the promotional graphics on
your car. Just in the process of running your business,
you'll see your logo constantly. Did I mention constantly?

Then Entrepreneurial Boredom sets in

Once you've seen the logo for what seems like the millionth
time, the logo starts to lose its sheen. It no longer seems
as brilliant, beautiful or perfect as it once did. In fact,
you never want to see it any again.

This is when most entrepreneurs start thinking about
breaking up with their logo, and getting a new one. They
think that this will help them recapture their excitement
about their brand.

Why changing your logo should be a last resort

A business's logo should last for the life of the
business-until "death do you part" (or at least until
something major happens within the business that
necessitates changing the logo-but that's another article).

Your logo is the "face" of your business for your
customers. If you suddenly change the logo, your customers
can feel like they are losing a relationship. And they get
a bit concerned.

First they wonder "Am I in the right place? It looks
different!" Then they think, "Is this the same company that
I've worked with before and grown to trust?" Then they say,
"Does this shiny new look mean that they're raising their
fees now? Can I afford to work with them now?"

You can see how this would be a chain reaction that you'd
like to avoid. Not to mention the domino effect that
changing your logo has on your marketing-redesigning and
reprinting all of your materials with the new look. What a
headache!

Keys To Changing Your Mind About Your Boredom

- Repeat after me: I see my logo more than anyone else
does. You assume that since you've seen your logo a million
times, your customers have also seen it too much and are
getting bored of it.

This isn't the case! Realistically think about how often
your clients see your logo-once, twice, or maybe four times
a month? I promise they're not as tired and fed up with it
as you are.

See if you can make your boredom into more of a
comfortable, long-term relationship with your logo.

- Switch your focus. You are more focused on your logo than
any of your clients. You are deeply invested in it in many
ways - from going through the logo design process with your
designer and infusing it with meaning then add the
financial and time perspective. Then as you use it, your
logo becomes a part of your business and personal identity.

- Concentrating on your logo this much puts it under a lot
of pressure, and gives it a lot to live up to. The next
time you feel like you're getting tired of your logo, put
your focus on something else-rewrite some of your website
copy, design a new marketing piece, start on a book, or
even just step away from the office to get some distance
from it. You have plenty of other things to do in your
business that would be easier and more productive to do
than to make a major change with your logo.

- If you need to change something, consider changing your
Visual Vocabulary. If your marketing pieces are really
driving you crazy, change up the other graphics that you
have on them-the photos that you use, your background
colors and your font treatments. This will change the look
of your materials without changing the foundation of your
brand-your logo-which isn't nearly so jarring for your
clients.

So, next time you're looking at your logo and thinking
about getting a divorce, take a deep breath and step away
from your designs! Keep your logo as the visual face your
customers remember. Then see if there are smaller changes
you can make to your relationship with your logo to keep
the love alive.

----------------------------------------------------
Erin Ferree is a brand identity designer who creates big
visibility for small businesses. As the owner of elf
design, Erin is passionate about helping her clients stand
out in front of their competition and attract more clients.
Her "Define Your Difference Branding Workbook" will help
you with your brand definition - the most important step in
the logo design process.
http://www.elf-design.com/products-define.html

If you want good answers, ask good questions

If you want good answers, ask good questions
Did you know that we human beings are incapable of NOT
answering a question? I just asked you a question, and you
answered it in your mind --- either you knew or you didn't
know, and it was impossible for you not to at least THINK
your answer. Isn't that true? See --- I asked you another
question, and you answered again!

Of course we don't always answer the question out loud, but
just answering it in our minds can start a thought process
that will either be useful or not. So learning to ask good
questions is a valuable communication skill.

Let's say, for example, I ask you, "Why didn't you send me
a copy of your report?" This may sound like a request for
facts, but most of us would interpret it as an accusation.
You'd think I was blaming you for not having sent me a
copy, and your answer is likely to be defensive. This can
cause resentment on both our parts and is unlikely to open
up a useful dialogue.

Consider, on the other hand, "Would you mind sending me a
copy of your report?" There's no implied criticism here,
just a simple request that's likely to get the desired
result without ill will.

This is, of course, a rhetorical question. We tend to think
of sentences starting with "would you mind..." as not
really questions, but they are. This means that the other
person must answer, even if only mentally. Of course, we
assume the answer will be positive. But effective questions
don't need to be rhetorical. Here's another example.

If I ask my team, "Why can't we reach our sales target?",
each person will immediately come up with answers as to why
we can't. With every answer, we have another apparent
justification for not reaching the target, making it harder
to find a way to do so. Any time you ask "why not?" ---
people will tell you why not.

But if I ask instead, "How can we reach our sales target?",
they will start coming up with answers in the form of ideas
to help achieve the goal. When you ask "how?" --- they will
tell you how, which is exactly what you want.

This technique of asking the right questions is a valuable
communication skill and well worth cultivating. Try it ---
next time you are about to ask a question, stop for a
moment first and make sure you phrase it in such a way that
the answer will be a constructive one.

----------------------------------------------------
Helen Wilkie is a professional speaker and author,
specializing in workplace communication. Subscribe to her
free monthly e-zine, "Communi-keys" at
http://www.mhwcom.com/pages/communikeys.html and get your
free 40-page e-book, "23 ideas you can use RIGHT NOW to
communicate and succeed in your business career"

Ten Negotiating Mistakes That Cost You Thousands

Ten Negotiating Mistakes That Cost You Thousands
Success in negotiating is a lot like becoming proficient in
martial arts. You must learn to use of timing, power and
leverage to your advantage. In bargaining contests,
Americans tend not to do very well when compared to people
in other countries around the world. There are some real
black belts out there and here are some common mistakes
that often keep us from getting the best deals:

MISTAKE #1: Being Afraid To Bargain: If a martial artist
enters the ring and is the least bit afraid of his or her
opponent the contest has already been decided in the other
person's favor. Some of us are a bit timid when it comes to
haggling because we're afraid to be rejected. In reality,
there is no rejection in negotiating. If you ask for a
discount on your laundry from a dry cleaner that you
patronize on a regular basis and the owner says, "no" what
have you lost? Nothing! However, the power to choose is now
in your hands. You have the choice of continuing to pay
full price or take your business elsewhere. It's totally in
your control.

MISTAKE #2: Forgetting That Everything Is Negotiable:
Master martial artists take every opportunity to practice
whether in a tournament or just by themselves. Master
bargainers are constantly aware that anything is negotiable
under the right circumstances. I have gotten discounts on
gasoline for my car, substantially reduced peoples' IRS tax
bills and even obtained deals on medical care. You would be
surprised to find what others will do to earn your business
as long as you keep in mind that there must be a benefit to
them of doing business with you.

MISTAKE #3: Believing It's Not Worth Haggling Over Small
Items: Martial artists do not become black belts overnight
but rather one day at a time. Many Americans only think
about negotiating when it comes to big-ticket purchases
like cars and houses. The real savings come when you get
discounts on things you buy more frequently. For example,
if you and your spouse eat out at nice restaurants once a
week costing eighty dollars and you negotiate a thirty
percent discount that saves over $1,200 a year. I generally
only pay half price for meals saving even more. I get
discounts on trees and plants at my local nursery, parking
at the airport, food at the nearby Chinese restaurant and
dozens of other establishments who value my business.

MISTAKE #4: Thinking About Ourselves First: There's an
ancient Chinese saying, "To defeat an opponent you must
first think like an opponent." Many people only consider
the benefits they'll get out of a negotiation. Master
bargainers are always thinking about what's in it for the
other person to accept a deal, not what's in it for
themselves. They know that if there isn't a clear benefit
to the other party they will never seriously consider an
offer. Finding ways to help people solve their problems
will make it easier for them to give you what you want.
Most businesses make their money on repeat business because
this eliminates their marketing costs. If you are a regular
customer you deserve a discount for saving them money.

MISTAKE #5: Making The First Offer: Martial artists try
not to make the first move when sparring because it
immediately reveals their speed and timing to their
opponent. Try not to make the first offer anytime you
bargain because it limits your options. Even if the price
is clearly marked, you can always ask, "Would you take less
to sell this today?" If you are a buyer and you make the
first offer it sets the lower limit because now you can
only raise your price. If you are a seller and you name a
price you can only go down from there.

MISTAKE #6: Being Too Nice: If a martial artist has to
make the first move he is likely to be pretty aggressive in
hopes of scoring a few early points. If you must make the
first offer, make it a low one if you're buying and high if
you're selling for the reason stated above. It sets the
lower or upper limit and reduces your options. Being
aggressive with your first offer leaves room for
negotiating. Don't worry about being nice as the other
party can always say, "no." You never want the other party
to agree to your first offer because that leads to the next
mistake.

MISTAKE #7: Being Too Eager: A martial artist always
starts a contest by testing his opponent. Take your time
when bargaining. In America "time is money" but in other
countries it is used for building relationships. There is
one word that a black belt negotiator never wants to hear
early in the bargaining process - "okay." This means that
you paid too much or asked too low a price because you got
impatient. Take your time and don't put yourself under any
undue pressure. When I was in Japan negotiating a
television sponsorship contract, my hosts and I spent two
weeks just eating sushi, drinking sake and singing karaoke
(badly) but not one word was mentioned about the reason for
my visit. It wasn't until we had built a mutual level of
trust that the talks began.

MISTAKE #8: Not Doing Your Homework: Most martial arts
tournaments are won or lost before they ever begin and it's
the same with negotiating. Just like a fighter would never
step into the ring without finding out everything he can
about his opponent, you should too. If you're buying a car,
search the web to find the dealer's invoice, when the new
models will be coming in and if there are any bonuses or
cut-rate financing available to you. No matter what you are
buying or selling you can find out valuable information
such as: what's the current demand, the profit margin, and
other priceless data.

MISTAKE #9: Not Playing To Win: Martial artists never
enter the ring hoping for a tie. Everyone has heard that in
negotiating you want to develop "win-win" solutions but, in
reality, nobody believes in tying. You don't want your
opponent to get the better end of the bargain and neither
do they. This is not to say that you try to take advantage
but you should always try to get the best deal you can and
assume that the other party will do likewise. You don't
need to be concerned about fairness because if they agree
to your offer they must feel it benefits them as well.

MISTAKE #10: Missing Opportunities To Negotiate: Every time
you pull out your wallet to pay for a purchase you should
ask yourself, "Is this a chance to practice my bargaining
skills?" This is not to say that you absolutely must
bargain on everything but every transaction adds up and the
more you bargain the better you become. Black belts
practice every day and so should you. Start by going to
garage sales and then moving up to flea markets where the
sellers are generally more experienced. After your skill
and confidence have grown then go to antique and
collectible stores where prices are generally not set in
stone. Eventually, you'll be ready for the ultimate test -
haggling over large appliances, cars and houses. By
negotiating more often you not only put more money in your
pocket but also increase your negotiating skill. You'll
also find that bargaining can be a fun and profitable way
to spend a couple of hours.

----------------------------------------------------
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Michael Soon Lee, MBA, is the author of
the new book "Black Belt Negotiating" (AMACOM Books, 2007),
a world class negotiator and martial artist. He has
bargained on everything from major real estate purchases to
discounts on gas for his car. Michael shows people how to
use martial arts secrets to gain leverage in any bargaining
situation. You can assess your negotiating prowess on his
website at http://www.SeminarsUnlimited.com and his phone
number is: (800) 417-7325.

Job Market Strategies For New Graduates

Job Market Strategies For New Graduates
It's that time of the year again when colleges let out and
newly graduated young adults receive their diplomas. They
will enjoy a well deserved, long hot summer and then
realize "I've graduate - now what? I don't know what to do
next!" A little daunted with the realization that now they
need to find a job and put their four or five years of hard
academic work into practice. The sad thing for these
graduates is that they are already about a year behind.

Ideally, the best time for graduates to start looking for
an entry level job is before you graduate. College Career
Centers are very helpful when utilized. They offer
counseling and other career tools, career fair
opportunities and internship availabilities. The
internships are invaluable beginning for soon-to-be
graduates and often a requirement for many degrees. Nearly
60% of interns are asked to stay on permanently after
graduation and at the very least; the internship can act as
a great reference when getting into the real world after
graduation.

For those who were enjoying being in the moment and now are
a little in the past - what do you do? First, realize that
you need to decide on which career direction you are
interested. What is your current career objective? Not
sure? Don't worry many graduates aren't - instead of
procrastinating or doing nothing - chose a path and get
started! You can always change your mind and steer yourself
in another direction later but you'll never know what you
do like if you don't find out what you don't like.

Career coaching is very effective in helping graduates
narrow the possible career paths. They offer a variety of
tools to help you understand which industries, fields, and
work environments best fit you. Use of career assessment
with a professional assessment administrator is a good way
to start and can be very helpful. Assessments will reveal
what your strengths are and usually will provide a great
list of career options to think about.

Next is your gathering of career tools. I would of course
recommend an experienced certified resume writer, one who
is willing to assist you as you make your way through the
preparation process. A well focused resume is the most
powerful tool you can have, so your career objective at
this point is a must! You'll need at least a presentation
resume, cover letter and follow-up letter and an ASCII
resume. If your resume writer doesn't provide additional
services in job market strategies they are usually a pretty
good source for where to find the services you will need
such as interview or career coaching, a resume distribution
service and a posting service. Although these additional
services will cost you initially, you will save yourself
time and much frustration plus with the coaching you will
receive pivotal information that will give you an edge or
advantage over other applicants during an interview.

The job market is a competitive place but a great career is
worth working for! Take the time to do it right and be
prepared so you won't settle for a job you will begin a
career! CONGRATULATIONS GRADUATES!!

----------------------------------------------------
Kris Plantrich is the owner of ResumeWonders Writing and
Career Coaching Services. She is certified in Resume
Writing and Interview Coaching, experienced and affordable
and is nationally published. Reuse of this article is
encouraged but must include a link to
http://www.resumewonders.com .

Transform Your Workplace into a WorkFORCE with One Simple, Affordable Secret

Transform Your Workplace into a WorkFORCE with One Simple, Affordable Secret
Have you sung the 5:01 blues lately? Here's how it goes . .
.

4:59, everyone is poised and ready. 5:00, the work day
ends. 5:01, your employees rush out the door-nearly
tripping over each other-to give their time, and energy to
something that REALLY motivates them.

And that's not your business.

You, however, will not be home until well after dinner and
just before the kids are in bed. Only to work some more as
you're watching David Letterman.

Here's what the Gallup Corporation found after interviewing
10 million employees worldwide: • 55% of all employees are
not engaged at all in their work • 16% percent of workers
are actively disengaged • Only 29%, less than one-in-three
employees, were fully engaged at work

In other words, if you have 30 employees, only 9 of them
are really working for you, while 16 of them are cruising
on autopilot and 5 of them are actively working against you!

What's a small business owner to do? You need people to get
the job done, but the people you have don't get the job
done! There's no heart, no intensity, no passion in their
work.

THE SECRET TO A PASSIONATE WORKPLACE

There is a secret, a simple affordable secret. that will
transform you workplace into a true workFORCE. It is the
power of positive praise.

The carrot and the stick have proven to be poor motivators
because they do not move people from within. Positive
input, encouragement, and genuine appreciation, however,
communicate to people their value and worth and motivates
them from the inside out. When provided on a regular basis,
work becomes a place people enjoy coming to instead of just
putting in their time.

"Because of its power, ridiculously low cost and rarity,
praise and recognition is one of the greatest lost
opportunities in the business world today," write Gallup
researchers in 12: The Elements of Great Managing.

In other words, a passionate workplace is a positive
workplace where praise and recognition is given freely.

FOUR KEYS FOR DELIVERING POSTIVE PRAISE

1. Make it TRUE.

Don't' make things up, people resent that. Find things to
praise by changing your focus to catching people doing
things RIGHT rather than wrong. Then tell them how much you
appreciate it.

2. Make it SPECIFIC.

"Good work!" however well meaning and sincere, will fall on
deaf ears. State specifically what it was that made the
work good. Specific praise is powerful praise.

3. Make it PERSONALIZED.

Some people love being praised in public, others hate it.
Some read every note and card they get, other throw them in
the trash. Everyone has a different praise "language." Find
it and use it.

4. Make it CONSISTENT.

Gallup's research discovered that praise and recognition in
the workplace needed to given no less than one time every
seven days. Make it one of your top things to do that gets
checked off every week.

HOW ONE BUSINESS LEADER USED PRAISE TO MOTIVATE HIS PEOPLE

One of my business coaching clients recently shared with me
the story of the greatest day in his professional life. He
had crushed his sales number for the year and earned the
highest award in his division for sales. At an end of the
year banquet, he was brought on stage and cheered by his
peers.

When the applause died down, his manager said, "Everyone
knows this is a very hard job to do and none of us could do
without the support and sacrifice of our spouse."

This brilliant boss had the sales person's wife come on the
platform and she received a standing ovation. To this day
he still chokes up a bit telling the story.

Do you think that salesman had a difficult time being
motivated to work for his boss? No way. In fact, after that
event he would do anything, ANYTHING, for him.

It doesn't cost a thing to thank someone or to praise them
in front of their peers. It costs only pennies to send a
handwritten note and only a few dollars to unexpectedly
give someone a gift card to their favorite restaurant.

Yet in every case these actions have an amazing effect on
people, transforming your workplace into a true workforce.

----------------------------------------------------
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Killers of Small Businesses Today (And What YOU Can Do
About Them!) visit http://www.LeadershipLink.net .